Combination letter-box, door-bell, and name-plate.



No. 754,se4.- PATENTED MAR. 15, 1904".

H. MESSBRSMITH.

COMBINATION L ET'I'BR BOX, DOOR BELL, AND NAME PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1903.

10 MODEL.

III

cie, in the county of Delaware and State of closing a letter-drop that opening same to inand sleeve.

UNITED STATES .HIRAM MESSERSMITH,

Patented March 15, 1904.

PATENT 'OEE1 :E.

or MUNCIE, INDIANA.

COMBINATION LETTER-BOXs DOOR-BELL, AND'NAlVIE-PLATE.

SFECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,664, dated March 15, 1904.

Application filed June 27, 1903.

To all whom it may concern/.-

' Be it known that I, HIRAM'MEssERsMI'rH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mun- Indiana, have invented a new and useful Com-, bination' Letter-Box, Door-Bell, and Name- Plate, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is an improvement in a combined letter-box, door-bell, and name-plate. the object being to so arrange the slide-plate sert a letter will ring the door-bell, thus notifying theoccupant of the house or flat that a letter has been deposited in the box or passed through the letter-drop.

My invention consists of the novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, particularly pointed out in the claims, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the device applied to a door. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken centrally through the device and the door, parts beingin elevation. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the letter-drop frame Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the plate, parts being broken away. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the operating bell-rod, parts being broken away. Fig. 6 is a face view, partly in section, showing the letterdrop closed by sliding plate.

While my invention may be applied to a window, door-frame, or even to the side of a frame building, I have shown it as such devices are usually applied viz., to the central portion of a door. In constructing a letterdrop of this kind a downwardly and inwardly inclined slot A is formed in the door and a transverse perforation is formed in the door above the slot. I provide a rectangular frame B, centrally cut out as at B, the cut-out portion registering with the upper end of the slot A when the frame is arranged on the door. Adjacent each end the frame B has perforations B, through which the fastening-screws may be passed. The sides of the frame are formed with forwardly and inwardly extending guide-flanges Biconnected at one end by Serial No. 163,411. (No mcdel.)

a cross-piece B. The upper guide-flange carries an integral collar C, and projecting rearwardly from the collar is a sleeve 0, reduced at its inner end. At the junction of the collar and flange B a slot C is formed. When the frame B is fastened to the door, the sleeve 0 extends through the aperture above the slot. A perforated depending arm'C is secured by a set-screw on the reduced inner end of the sleeve and carries at its lower end a stationary knocker C. A qvlindrical operatingrod D passes loosely through the sleeve and has rigidly secured to its inner end a bell D, having interior ribs D adapted to engage the knocker when the bell is rotated. At its outer end the 'rod'D carries the usual handle D A disk D* is rigidly secured on the rod D and fits within the collar C. The disk has a grooved periphery, and in the groove is arranged a ring of soft rubber D or other suitable frictional material.

The sliding plate E, closing the opening B, slides horizontally between the guide-flanges B and is provided with an outwardly-projecting lug or thumb-piece E. The upper edge of the plate is cut away or reduced in width at E and this portion normally rests beneath the disk D*. When the plate is in its normal position, the bell may be sounded by turning the handle D without moving the plate, as the cut-out portion is below the disk; but when the plate is drawn to one side to open the letter-drop the non-reduced portion of the plate will bear on the rubber ring sufficiently to r0- tate the disk, rod, and bell and ring the latter. The bell will also be rung a second time when the plate is returned to its normal position. The plate E will also serve as a nameplate, as shown in Fig. 1.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device of the kind described comprising an open rectangular frame having guideflanges, a collar carried by said frame, a sleeve extending rearwardly from the collar, a rod rotatably journaled in said sleeve, a bell fixed on the inner end of said rod, a stationary knocker, a disk carried by the rod and resting in the collar, and a plate adapted to slide in the frame and rotate the disk.

2. A device of the kind described comprising an open frame having guide-flanges, a plate sliding in said frame between the flanges, a rod rotatably journaled above and transverse to the frame, a bell, means whereby rotation of the rod will sound the bell, and a disk fixedly carried by the rod and engaged by the sliding plate.

3. A device of the kind described comprising a frame having guide-flanges, a slotted collar carried by one of said flanges, a rotatable rod having a disk rigidly secured thereon, said disk being adapted to rotate in the collar, a plate sliding in said frame and beneath the slotted portion of the collar, said plate adapted to engage and rotate the disk, a bell arranged at the inner end of the rod, and means for ringing said bell when the disk and rod rotate.

4:. A device of the kind described comprising a frame centrally cut out, guide-flanges along the upper and lower sides of the frame, a sleeve carried by the upper flange, a rod rotatably journaled in said sleeve, a bell fixedly secured at the inner end of the rod, a stationary knocker arranged within the bell and supported from the sleeve, a disk fixedly secured on said rod, and a plate slidably carried by the frame and normally covering the cut-out portion, the upper edge of said plate engaging the disk when moved to uncover the opening.

5. A device of the kind described comprising a rectangular open frame having guideflanges, a sleeve carried by one side of the frame, a rod rotatably journaled therein, a disk on said rod having agrooved periphery, a soft-rubber ring arranged in said groove, a

plate adapted to slide in said frame the edge of the plate adapted to engage the periphery of the rubber ring and rotate the disk, a bell, and means whereby rotation of the disk and rod will ring the bell.

6. A device of the kind described comprising a flanged frame, a rod rotatably journaled adjacent said frame, a bell carried by and-rotating with said rod, a stationary knocker, a handle at the outer end of the rod, a disk fixedly secured on said rod adjacent the handle and above the flanged frame, and a plate slidably held in said frame, said plate being reduced in Width intermediate its ends, the reduced portion normally lying below the disk and the non-reduced portion being adapted to engage and rotate the disk.

HIRAM MESSERSMITH.

Witnesses:

J. MILTON FENWICK, J. FRANK MANN. 

